Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-01
NY OPERATOR.
BY W. II. S. ATKINSON.

TY w. Ii. S. ATKINSON.
Some ten years ago J. was in tho service
of Spotem 81 CO.. ono of the best-known
detective firms in the West. Even SO long
ago as that had achieved more than ordi-
nary fame as a railroad detective, so that,
when q letter was received by the firm from
the General Manager of the Missouri River
Broad Guage Railway requesting the serv-
ices of Give" man, was not at all sur
prisei; that MI. John Spotem should in
struct ,nc TO prepare at onco to undertake
this especial business.
That afternoon was aboard tho train,
on my way from Chicago to Omaha, aud
next morning reported at railroad head
quarters.
The situation was explained to me by
the General Manager.
ave are being robbed right along. Mr..
Sharpe" said he, "by gang of thieves.
evidently with an expert at their head, and,
I am afraid, with some OF our people acting
in collusion with them. The freight trains
are mostly robbed when side-tracked, and,
notwithstanding that tho trainmcn have
orders to use extra vigilance, the thefts
still continue to go on. Nor are they con-
fined to any particular section. For, while
one day robbery will be reported on the
west end of the road, two or three days
later Will come news Of a raid at the east
end, three hundred miles away. Mostly
dry goods and other equally valuable arti-
c!es of merchandise are taken, but in such
quantities as to leave no doubt that many
men, and even teams. are in the employ of
the thieves"
More information was given mo by tho
official, and then left to go over the road,
SO as to enable mo to understand the clay"
of the land and form plans for future
action.
Three days later I again reported at
headquarters and suggested that be in
stalled as (supposed) assistant trainmaster
at Prairie Tlower-where the company had
large shops and yards, midway between
Omaha and the western terminus of the
railway. also suggested sending for two
trrsty assistants from Chioago-one 10
travel east and the other west of me-and,
lastly, requested the services Of telegraph
operator. For, though understood teleg-
raphy myself, wished TO have al operator
who could receive messages whether was
present or absent.
10 all my plans the General Manager as
scented, and was soon located at Prairie
Flower.
Two weeks passed, during which time
We made very little progress, although
several robberies were reported. Ilearned
enough to convince me that Jim Ball, q
notorious crook who formerly "workcd"
several Illinois railroads. had finger in
this "pie." And that was almost all 1 did
learn The first two wec,s. I mstrustcd my
operator, too. I did not actually detect him
in any crookednass, hut did not like his
looks--the more so after [ discovered that
he had been dismissed from one OF the very
Illinois railroads which Jim Ball had mado
to suffer. So decided to dismiss him and
advertised for a lady operator. I thought
if took lady, and especially one who
was unconnectel with the railroads, /
should be on the safe side and have more
confidence in the correctness of messages
. received and dispatched. Within week
had installed at the operators table as
pretty a specimen Of young womanhood as
ever set eyes upon. She was, perhaps,
twenty-five or three years of age, was of
medium size, we'll educated, and smart,
and looked as strong and hearty as she
was pretty.
In fc.tyeight hours was Desperately III
love With her. III another forty eight
hours had made fool of myself [even
detectives, being men, occasionally act the
fooll, offered her my hand and heart, and
was refused though that fact did not
seriously discourage me.
Meanwhile the robbers were playine
fast and loose with me, as we'll as with the
companys property. was vcxcd, because
had hoped to snail" the culprits in a
much shorter time than had already elapsed
since undertook the task. even began
to suspect my own especial assistants OF
being unfaithful; for, just as sure as l re-
ceived message from one of them, giving
information Of an expected raid at cor
tain point, so sure (after going to that
place with oficers) would robbery take
place in an entirely opposite direction.
When man is foilod in the main
object, for tho time-being, of
his life it is bad enough;
but when he is also in love it goes rather
hardly with him. I was greatly worried
and hardly knew what course to pursue.
Miss Avery, my operator, noticed my
anxiety and was very kind to me-rolieving
me of oil the work which she could UNDER
take, such as letter-writing, etc. Apart
from our duties she was also very pleasant.
She seemed SO we'll pleased to spend much
of her time .off duty" in my company that
I began to think my Glove affair" would
come out al right Jet.